Avoiding Decisions (Avoiding #1.5)(16)

He glanced down at the screen, where she had put her phone number under just the name Alexa. He smirked as he recognized the Georgia area code. She did have a Southern accent.

He should probably delete the number. He wasn’t going to call her anyway. When he sobered up, he would realize how big of a mistake this all was. If he was already recognizing it now, then it would be ten times worse tomorrow. Or maybe he wouldn’t care. He didn’t normally care about anything, especially not some girl who had refused him a one night stand.

Ramsey sighed, running his hand back through his blonde hair, and walked back to the bar.

“You look like you got hit with a ton of bricks,” Lacy said, pushing a drink toward him, “and you probably need that.”

He nodded not acknowledging her statement.

“Did that girl actually turn you down?”

Lacy sounded disbelieving, and he didn’t want her to think that. He very rarely was turned down. Actually, when was the last time that had happened? He couldn’t remember. Maybe it hadn’t happened. Not until Alexa.

“I could go for that pie,” he said, swirling the drink around, but not indulging.

Lacy turned and looked at the clock. “It’s only two.”

“So, get out of it.”

“It’s Saturday, and it’s swamped,” she told him. “I’ll make another couple hundred in tips alone tonight. No chance.”

“Lace, the money. Really?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m not letting you pay.”

“I’ll be buying the pie.”

“You have such a way with words,” she said, rolling her eyes.

He smirked wishing he could put more effort into it, but he was glad he didn’t have to with Lacy.

“Fine,” she said, giving in. “I’ll meet you out front.”

Ramsey nodded, relieved that at least something was going as planned, and left the club. It was surprisingly nice to leave the ever-present din behind him. After Alexa’s departure, all he wanted was to forget ever thinking about Parker. Thinking about Parker only stirred up old feelings and old memories. It brought up why he had bought the clubs in the first place, and didn’t let him escape in them as easily. After what had happened tonight, he needed a bigger distraction than that.

Since he figured he had awhile to wait for Lacy, he pulled out his phone and dialed Bekah’s number. He wasn’t sure if she would be awake at this hour, but he might as well let her know about the interview…or lack thereof.

She answered on the first ring as if she hadn’t even been sleeping. Strange. “Hey,” she said, her sugary sweetness melting through the phone.

“Hey, your interview never showed,” Ramsey told her.

“Yeah, he called and said he had to cancel. Something came up,” Bekah told him. “Did I not mention that?”

“No, you didn’t,” Ramsey said through gritted teeth.

“I hope you didn’t wait long for him,” Bekah said in her sugar sweet voice.

“I didn’t. Is he rescheduling? I’m only here until tomorrow.”

“No. I think I’ll make him wait. He has promise, but he’s going to have to come to Atlanta if he wants the interview this time. Maybe I’ll give him a month,” she said with a giggle.

“It gives you some sick pleasure torturing this guy, doesn’t it? You don’t even know if you want him for the company, and yet you’re going to make him wait a whole month before another interview,” Ramsey said not even sure why he was bothering with Bekah. She never listened to him. And he didn’t want to be a part of the company. Sometimes he just wanted to shake some sense into her.

“If he wants it bad enough, then he can wait. It’s not like we’re dying to fill the position anyway,” she said off-hand.

“Then why did you have me take time out of my vacation to do this?” he all but yelled at his sister.

“Because I knew you would,” she said. He could almost see that characteristic smile cross her face. Her mask of innocence attempting to conceal her controlling ways. He was so tired of it all.

“Can you try to keep me out of your plans next time, Bek?” he asked knowing it was futile.

“Sure, Ramsey,” she said. “I’ll try.” Bekah hung up again without another word and he sighed. She needed to quit doing that.

He ran a hand back through his hair, frustrated about everything that had happened tonight. He had been so…cheery earlier. This Alexa girl had f**ked him up.

Luckily, Lacy rounded the corner at that moment. A thankful reprieve from his thoughts.

“Hey, you ready to go?” Lacy asked, stubbing out a cigarette with her high heel and walking up to him.

“Very ready,” he said, helping her into a waiting cab and sliding in next to her.

“Still hungry?”

“Starving,” he told her, resting a hand on her thigh.

The End